The present invention generally relates to apparatus and methods for structural support of aircraft passenger internal fuselage appendages, and more specifically, to apparatus and methods, which support the center stowage bins, center monuments, aircraft systems, and overhead modules, such as attendant rests, for commercial aircraft.
Wide bodied commercial aircraft are characterized as having significant space above passenger center stowage bin compartments and below the airplanes"" overhead airframe (or crown). That space, however, is utilized entirely for the center stowage bin support structure, and thus, is unavailable for any other purpose. As a result, space must be found elsewhere to route ducting, tubing, and electrical harnesses, and to house electrical equipment and other essential aircraft systems. Since space for that purpose is scarce, it is often necessary to employ complex and cramped routing schemes and to locate equipment in spaces that are difficult to access for initial installation as well as for subsequent maintenance. The overall result is an increase in assembly and maintenance costs.
Many wide bodied commercial aircraft are also designed for extreme long-range routes and may sometimes remain in flight for up to approximately twenty hours. In such situations, it is necessary to provide rest areas for the crews, including pilots and passenger attendants. When no other provision has been made, the crews utilize designated seats in the passenger compartments, thus making those seats unavailable for paying passengers and reducing the airplane""s earning capacity.
In a few special cases, separate, dedicated, crew rest facilities have been provided. An example is the Boeing 747 aircraft""s Door 5 Crew Rest module. That crew rest, however, is unique and customized for that particular aircraft configuration, and thus cannot be moved to allow customer variability. Additionally, that design utilizes a support structure not adaptable to other, smaller aircraft, such as the Boeing 777, which has more limited space in the crown. Another example is the Boeing 777 Door 3 Crew Rest module, which is also a highly customized design intended for after-market retrofit, and which cannot be moved to other locations to allow for customer variability.
As can be seen, there is a need for an efficient structural support system which supports the center stowage bin in such a manner as to also free-up the space above the stowage bin and below the airplane overhead airframe, making that space available to route ducting, tubing, and electrical harnesses, to house electrical equipment and other essential aircraft systems, and to also accommodate overhead modules, such as attendant rests.
In one aspect of the present invention, there is disclosed a lattice support structure which provides overhead space and structural support for center stowage bins, for aircraft systems, and for overhead modules. It is comprised of: horizontally oriented lattice beams secured to vertically oriented stanchions; angled braces connected diagonally between the horizontally oriented lattice beams and the vertically oriented stanchions; horizontally oriented trough shaped cross members secured to the stanchions; vertically oriented tie rods securing the horizontally oriented lattice beams to the airplane""s fuselage transverse frame; lateral tie rods securing the horizontally oriented lattice beams to the airplane""s fuselage transverse frame; fuselage rail beams connected to the outermost end of horizontally oriented lattice beam; horizontally oriented structural panels, comprised of a shear panel and two rail beams, connected to the innermost end of each horizontally oriented lattice beams; and, vertically oriented structural trusses connected to the innermost end of horizontally oriented lattice beams, which are comprised of diagonal tension members extending between two rail beams.
In another aspect of the present invention, there is disclosed a lattice support structure which provides overhead space and structural support for stowage bins, aircraft systems, and overhead modules. It is comprised of: lattice beams secured to stanchions; angled braces connected between the lattice beams and the stanchions; cross members secured to the stanchions; tie rods securing the lattice beams to the airplane""s fuselage transverse frame; lateral tie rods securing the lattice beams to the airplane""s fuselage transverse frame; airplane fuselage rail beams connected to the ends of each lattice beam; two structural panels connected to the innermost ends of each lattice beam; and, two structural trusses connected to the innermost end of the lattice beams.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, there is disclosed a lattice support structure which is interconnected and spaced apart to provide overhead space and structural support for center stowage bins, for aircraft systems, and for overhead modules. It is comprised of horizontally oriented lattice beams, vertically oriented stanchions, vertically oriented structural trusses, angled braces, horizontally oriented cross members, vertically and laterally oriented tie rods, and horizontally oriented structural panels.
In yet one final aspect of the present invention, there is disclosed a method of accommodating and supporting overhead stowage bins, modules and aircraft systems, comprising the steps of suspending a lattice support structure from the overhead structure of an aircraft""s fuselage, locating overhead stowage bins on each side of the underside of the suspended lattice support structure, locating modules on the center segment of the suspended overhead stowage bins, and locating aircraft systems and components on each side of the upper side of the suspended lattice support structure.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, descriptions and claims.